Small Favour: my last two entries differed substantially in effort and also in total votes received. But the relationship was not as I would have expected. the bad chop received 16 votes and the good one zero (I expected at least a few for integration/shading, which I thought wasn’t bad).
I know that voting is very subjective and under influence of a shitload of unknown factors, and that it is a very sensitive subject here (I’ve seen the term ‘pandora’s box’ being used more than once).

But I’m putting my neck on the chopping block anyway by posting this and asking anyone for feedback (positive, negative, bring it on).


Bad chop: ATV strength (a picture of a bone and a ham, and clone brush galore)

Good chop: snow ski goggles (the helmet, the skull, the background and the goggles –duhh– were different pics, and a poeplading of shading and lighting work)

You know, I think sometimes timing is a big factor. If you enter late, or if the voting falls during the weekend, a chop won't garner as many votes as you thought it might.

It's still a pretty big mystery to me, as well. Sometimes I think a chop of mine will do wonderfully in the voting, and it fizzles. Whether it's timing, or technique, or the mood of the community, or the presence of superior chops, or the influence of my abrasive personality, or some elusive X factor, I really couldn't say.

When somebody isolates that X factor, I think we'll have unlocked one of the secrets to the universe!

Well this is pretty difficult,... why would you even consider posting bad chops? Well in your case it got more votes. But does more votes make you happier? Cause you know you didn't do well for your standards. So just have fun and make your chops as good as possible. You will learn from constant improving yourself. Don't go for the votes too much,... just have fun. Maybe that's the reason why I don't post too often anymore,... can't find the fun in it anymore,... I have done too many pics already

Vunt, this question has been kicked around for as long as the site has been up. No one understands the voting, no one probably ever will, BUT . . . . .

Chrispis' advice is good advice. If you think a chop is bad it probably is. (Of course, ironically your BAD chop did well) all you can do is your best. Good technique - a plus! Humor - a plus! Telling a story- a plus! Originality - a plus! Shrewd sexual innuendo - a definite plus!

Learn good techniques from tutorials and old timers here, remember that quality is always better than quantity, keep chopping, work hard, do your best, keep a positive attitude. (I sound like a freaking self-help book here!)

At first, I'm inspired by your name. Even in my fluent Dutch I can't make head nor toe from it.

Second. The voting system isn't as much as a mystery as you think. I figured it out allready. I have made an intuitive computer program that can predict the votes you will get. I even have made it a little more complex, so it can give some strong advice. For testimonials you can PM Biltvshow, Anfa, Metalic and lots more.

It can be yours for only 99,95 ex VAT. you can sent it to....What...what you say JMH132, I can't do this. Damn

I am having fun, and learning, improving, etc. and those ARE the primary incentives, but without the voting, i doubt i would 'find the time' . the competion is more with myself than with others, though. the voting aspect just gives it that little extra kick (and I am definitely getting myself 'advantage') .


"is it not better to play with yourself, than to never have played at all?" famous words of a not so well-known but nevertheless ancient and wise(-ish) philosopher (who is momentarily tucked away behind his terminal somewhere in the netherlands)




in mij head it sounds like voent van poemenoent (dutch pronunciation). and thanks for the offer, but i've allready got a random number generator

eeeeeh, i once won with i chop i considered not even entering, because it wasn't exactly to my liking.( this one http://www.photoshopcontest.com/view-entry/59672/display.html ). I did enter it but more with a thought of "what the heck"

The big question here is : What is a bad chop ? All those little ( and sometimes big ) flaws that you see as creator of an image, are not always visible to other people. I think in this case the saying "Your worst critic is you yourself." applies too.

As for the voting, a lot of the current voting troubles stem from 3 things : People have too many votes, Voting isn't anonymous anymore ( too much votes for friends etc. ), and votes are cast during the period for entering ( i stiil would like to see a separate voting period )

viewing the 'good chop' from yet another angle this time, it actually is a pretty boring entry. for my chopping standards pretty good, but boring nonetheless. more so than 'bad chop'. this may also be a factor which influences the vote ... duhhh

Well now you see you've learnt something. What you did with that muscle-man was much more original/funny, and also required more skill, whether you believe so or not.

A lot of people chop part of the featured pic into another pic and leave it at that. A LOT of people. When voters see something a bit different, they tend to give it a lot more votes, even though it may not be technically perfect.

I'M GLAD YOU HAVE ASKED THIS BECAUSE I HAVE WOUNDERED THE SAME THING. I DEF NEED SOME MORE TIME ON PS BUT SEEING HOW I CHOP DURING BREAK AND LUNCH AT WORK ( AND SOMETIMES IN BETWEEN WHEN THE BOSS ISN'T LOOKING) I CAN'T GET IT IN UNTILL AT LEAST THE 5TH PAGE. PLUS THE CONTEST PIC DOESN'T SHOW UP UNTIL BOUT 9 MY TIME AND WHEN I GO TO THE SITE I SEE ALL READY LIKE 9 PEOPLE HAVE ALL READY POSTED. I HAVE PS AT HOME BUT BY THE TIME I GET HOME , FORGET ABOUT I DON'T WANT TO LOOK AT THE COMPUTER ANY MORE. BUT I FEEL THE SAME AS V.V.P. I CAN'T FOR THE LIFE OF ME THINK WHY PEOPLE VOTE THE WAY THEY DO HERE SO I HAVE STOPPED CARING ABOUT IT AND AS YOU MAY HAVE NOTICED I DON'T POST AS MUCH AS WHEN I STARTED....